<p>I’ve traveled extensively in Europe and I live in what for lack of a better term I’ll call an undeveloped country. Although I love Spain and have never been to Chile, I would counsel your daughter to go for South America. Europe, notwithstanding terrorist attacks, is going to be there. It’s accessible for fun and study at any age. (I recently spent a week in Madrid, mostly at the Prado.) </p>
<p>But Chile and the undeveloped world are far more difficult to encounter on your own. The opportunity to travel with a student group, stay with a family, study with academics might not come up again. Seize it!</p>
<p>Again, I don’t have any particular preference for or against Chile. I’m an Asian specialist and would like to see more JYA travel to this neck of the woods. But the point I feel stongly about is the importance of having exposure to a third world culture. It will change the way you think, the way you feel, the way your see America and Europe, the way you approach your everyday life. It will enhance your world view and deepen your understanding of humanity in ways that you can’t imagine without having been there.</p>
<p>A word on terrorism (as much as I wish this trend weren’t taking off on the “who began it” tangent): I live in a country that has been afflicted by terrible terrorist attacks, but still I say don’t let this influence your decision to travel. The chance of being injured or even inconvenienced by terrorism is infintestimal. The whole point of terrorism is surprise and to try to outthink it will lead to intense under-the-bed syndrome.</p>